Display device



Jan. 16, 1962 E. WATHEN DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 25. 1960 fie. 6

' INVEN TOR. fR/VESTZ-SUE MTHE VII/1,115,111

3,017,148 DISPLAY DEVICE Ernest Leslie Wathen, 20695 Stratford Ave., Rocky River 16, Ohio Filed Feb. 25, 1960, 521'. No. 10,933 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-35) My invention relates to display devices which are especially suitable for advertising purposes and also relates to a simple blank from which such device may be formed, the blank comprising the body of the display device being preferably die cut as a unitary structure from a single sheet of suitable material.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a single structure which may be used in a variety of different ways to display advertising or the like and which may be used either as a display device removably clamped to objects of various shapes and sizes, such as automobile tires, poles, counters and table or counter edges, or which may be used simply as an easel for display purposes.

Another object consists in a simple blank form comprising a plurality of sections formed by folding the blank transversely to provide a pair of wing sections hingedly connected to an intermediate display supporting section, together with means engageable with the wing portions tending to draw the wings toward each other and about an object to which the device is to be removably clamped, or to dispose the wing portions and the display portion in such relative positions that the device may be employed as an easel for displaying advertising or other matters.

Other and more general objects are to provide a display device that is extremely simple in construction and is consequently inexpensive to produce; that can be die cut in a single piece or blank in one operation; that is collapsible and therefore easily stored, shipped or packed in flat compact form and which may easily and quickly be set up for display purposes.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description of an embodiment thereof progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank form embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a display device constructed of the blank shown in FIGURE 1 and which is shown in FIGURE 2 as being applied to a curved surface such as a pole or the like to be supported thereby for the purpose of displaying advertising or other matter;

FIGURE 3 illustrates another manner in which the display device may be used such, for instance, as being removably clamped to the edge of a table or counter;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a display device formed from the blank shown in FIGURE 1 which in the present instance is employed as an easel for displaying advertising matter and the like;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken on lines 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 illustrates how a display device made from the blank shown in FIGURE 1 may be employed to clampingly engage a tire or the like;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a blank shown in reduced size and constituting a modified form of the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view illustrating how the wing and wing portions of the blank may be removably interlocked one with the other.

The practical embodiment of the invention by which the foregoing objects are obtained and which is illustrated in the drawing is to be taken as illustrative rather than as limiting, as the invention is capable of various changes and modifications and this is especially true with respect to the various ways the device may be mounted either in a form to be clamped upon an object or as an easel and wherein the size and shape of the device is largely dependent upon the character of the subject matter to be borne thereby.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 wherein I have shown a blank layout, the blank comprises an intermediate display mounting section 1 and a pair of oppositely extending wings or sections 2 and 3, respectively. Extending inwardly from the opposite longitudinal edges of the blank and in alignment with each other are a pair of scored areas 4 and 5, respectively, the scores of each pair being in alignment with each other and centered along a fold line 6 and 7, respectively. In this manner the wings 2 and 3 are easily folded about the scores 4 and 5 in the fold lines 6 and 7, respectively, to the positions variously shown in the other figures of the drawing.

In die cutting the blank shown in FIGURE 1, the notches shown formed in the opposite longitudinal portions of the wings 2 and 3 are cut simultaneously with the cutting of the blank. These notches preferably consist of outer notches 8 formed on opposite sides of the wings 2 and 3 near their free end portions, while one or more pairs of notches 9 and 10 are formed oppositely in the longitudinal edges of the wings 2 and 3. While I have shown more than one pair of oppositely disposed notches formed in the wings adjacent the fold lines 6 and 7, respectively, it is to be understood that a single pair of opposed notches may be employed in each wing, or additional pairs may be formed depending upon the nature of the use of the device and the desirability for closer clamping adjustment to an object to which the device is to be supported, as will presently appear.

A display device embodying this invention is capable of a number of applications in use, the principal different ones being illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 6.

The display device when used in a manner whereby it is to be removably attached to an object embodies, in addition to the folded blank, one or more elastic bands or ties indicated at 11 and 12 in FIGURE 2 which are engaged in the notches 10' and which extend across the gap between the wings 2 and 3 under tension tending to draw the wings 2 and 3 together about an object to which the display device is to be attached. Elastic bands or similar members 12 are engaged in the outer notches 8 of the wings 2 and 3 and also span the gap across the free end portions of the wings and preferably engage with the outer surface of the object which, in this view of the drawing, is a cross section of a cylinder or post 13. The elastic bands 11 and 12 draw the wings 2 and 3 into engagement with the outer surface of the post 13, as at 14, and together with the frictional contact of the bands 11 and 12 with the post 13, serve to hold the display device in its selected position on the post and to prevent accidental displacement from such position. In the event the diameter of the post 13 is substantially less than that shown in FIGURE 2, the elastic band 11 may be carried in the notches 9 of the wings 2 and 3 and thus obtain the desired holding effort.

The display which may comprise an advertising card or the like 15 is secured to the intermediate display supporting panel 1 by adhesive or any other suitable means for attaching the same more or less permanently thereto.

FIGURE 3 illustrates how the display device containing a display 15 may be removably clamped into position over the edge of a counter or table C. In this instance, the elastic band 12 may be dispensed with, the tensioned or stretched elastic band 11 exerting a suflicient closing effort on the wings 2 and 3 to effectively engage them with the upper and lower surfaces of the counter C to prevent accidental displacement of the display device thereon. I

In FIGURE 4 the invention is illustrated in its adaptability to be used as an easel for displaying a card or the like 15 which is secured to and carried by the panel 1, the wings 2 and 3 being disposed in the position shown in this figure so that their free ends engage with each other along their outer transverse edges to form a triangular shaped easel. If desired in this connection, a resilient band 12 may also be employed thus affording means for preventing displacement of the free edges of the wings 2 and 3 with respect to each other.

In FIGURE 6 is illustrated a further application of my invention as, for instance, in applying the display device to be supported on a tire or inflated inner tube 16 wherein the Wings 2 and 3 engage the side walls of the tire or tube and are held in frictional engagement therewith by means of an elastic band 11 which bridges the wings under tension as illustrated in FIGURE 2 and urges them toward each other.

In FIGURES 7 and 8, I have illustrated a modified form of the present invention wherein the display device in use as an easel may be constructed to provide an elongate slot 20 adjacent the free end portion of the wing 3 and wherein the wing 2 is provided with a tab 21 which is adapted to engage within the slot 20 to support the wings in the position shown in FIGURE 8. In this construction, the use of notches along the opposite longitudinal edges of the blank may be dispensed with as well as the use of stretched elastic bands for drawing the wings toward each other. The tab 21 is easily inserted in and removed from the slot 20, thus permitting the easel to be quickly set up or dismantled at the will of the user.

The fold lines 6 and 7 designate a cut into the material of the blank from one side thereof either partially or fully through the thickness of the blank and connect with scores 4 and 5 of each scored pair, respectively. The scored areas 4 and 5 are preferably pressed scores connecting at their inner ends with the cuts 6 and 7, respectively, as shown in FIGURE 1, and thus assure easy and accurate hinging of the wings 2 and 3 when the blank is formed into a display support for attachment to various objects or to be used as an easel type of support.

Various changes may be made in the details of constructino and arrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An article embracing display device comprising as a unitary structure a body of stiff material including multiple sections hingedly secured together, said sections comprising a pair of wing elements and an intermediate display support element all arranged in end-to-end relation in blank form to provide an elongate blank, said wings being folded about the hinged areas rearwardly of the intermediate display support element, and spaced apart elastic means removably spanning the wings for retaining the wings in position for supporting the device on a supporting article, said means being located on the wings to frictionally engage that portion of the supporting article which is to be received between said wings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,630 Watson Apr. 3, 1900 990,154 Mitchel Apr. 18, 1911 1,124,294 Carter Ian. 12, 1915 1,842,034 Lewis Jan. 19, 1932 2,501,314 Catozella Mar. 21, 1950 2,550,857 Overbaugh May 1, 1951 2,690,624 Phillips Oct. 5, 1954 

